The Visitation

Today is the Feast of the Visitation. It is the time when the Church remembers and reflects on Mary's visit to Elizabeth after she found out she would become the mother of our Lord and heard of Elizabeth's pregnancy. The journey was long and difficult, yet Mary still went. It seems clear that she went to celebrate with Elizabeth, as well as to minister to her as she entered upon the end of her pregnancy. The Scripture tells us that on hearing Mary's greeting, the babe inside of Elizabeth jumped and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

As I consider the Visitation, it is all about hospitality. It is about the desire to bless others at the expense of one's own convenience or comfort. Mary took Jesus to Elizabeth (and John in Elizabeth's womb). She went to bless and to be a blessing.

If we are Christ's, then Christ lives in us. When we go to bless people, we bring Christ with us. We bring Christ to the people. The simplest and most menial acts of mercy take on greater meaning as we ponder the fact that it is Christ in us bringing His blessing to the people. We see chores, duties, and even our jobs in a whole new light when we see it through that lens.

Today, like Mary, let us lay aside our own hopes and plans to bring Jesus to the people around us and bless them. A simple smile, or a sincere "how are you," can become the means of bringing God's blessing to people all around. Let us, then, carry Christ to the people in our own "visitation" every day.